Rutgers' starting quarterback decision may not be made until week before Pinstripe Bowl

Noah K. Murray/The Star-LedgerSophomore Chas Dodd still doesn't know if he will keep the starting quarterback job he has had for seven of Rutgers' 12 games this season when the Knights face Iowa State in the Pinstripe Bowl on Dec. 30.

Chas Dodd or Gary Nova?

The season-long debate — and ongoing uncertainty — at the quarterback position appears as if it will last a little longer for Rutgers, with a decision possibly not being made until the week of the Dec. 30 Pinstripe Bowl game against Iowa State at Yankee Stadium, coach Greg Schiano said today.

"That's a good question," Schiano said in response to a query about his starting quarterback for the bowl. "It's not going to be an easy one. They both are capable. We've just got to figure out which fits best. You never know. It could be both, I don't know.

"Other than the limited practice time we've had so far and will have this week, it's predominantly recruiting and now bowl planning, game planning. We'll get all of the tapes broken down and then maybe in about five or six days we'll sit down and maybe start to gameplan."

Dodd started the first four games and Nova the next five before Dodd started the final three during Rutgers' 8-4 season.

Schiano said everything would be taken into account when a decision is made.

"Body of work up to this point, trend, and then what's happening now in practice. Everything," he said. "As always, everything goes into the equation. Then at the end you have to take all of that numerical data, or whatever it is you're looking at, and weigh it out and do what you think is best."

Dodd was 129 of 228 for 1,398 yards with nine touchdown passes and seven interceptions this season.

Nova was 113 of 220 for 1,533 yards with 11 touchdown passes and nine interceptions.

Schiano said he was uncertain whether injured true freshman running back Savon Huggins would make it back for the bowl game after missing the final three games.

With the first seven practices devoted to "developmental practice," according to Schiano, it means Huggins and walking wounded starters Justin Francis and D.C. Jefferson, as well as wide receiver Tim Wright, will have extra time to mend.

Francis, a standout at defensive tackle this season, suffered a nasty gash that required stitches against Connecticut. Jefferson and Wright sat out that game with knee issues.

"We don't know for sure. Savon is making progress," Schiano said. "The key is going to be when we start game plan preparation can he go? And that's kind of going to be the measuring stick.

"If we had to play (this week) I think that some of the guys that are hobbled would play. But there's no reason to push them, so a guy like D.C. or a guy like (Francis), they're going to get conditioning. They're going to stay in shape. Hopefully as we go we get them back one by one. Tim Wright, hopefully, will be feeling better."

Offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti's candidacy in the Tulane head coaching search has ended, with the school announcing today that it had hired wide receivers coach Curtis Johnson from the New Orleans Saints.

"Frank is going to be with us, which is good," Schiano said. "We're excited about that. Like I said to you on Saturday, I encourage our guys (to interview). When it's a head coaching job ... there are only 120, and if you have an opportunity to be interviewed with one as an assistant coach you need to look into it. You don't ever want to have regrets.

"It's good that people are looking at our coaches as head coaches. But he's going to stay and it's great and we're excited about that."